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February 25, 2013

Matsuri: Springtime in Phoenix

Phoenix had gorgeous, virtually perfect spring weather on Saturday and decent weather Sunday; both days had blue skies and sun this year. Saturday was taiko show day (No kimono, only happi and performance gear) for Odaiko Sonora and we could not have asked for better weather! Sunday was a clear and very cool 60 degrees because of the wind but it was a pretty good day to wear kimono all day since it wasn't hot. I just never took off my haori and wished I had matching gloves! It was OK if you kept moving or found a place to sit in the sun and out of the wind.
I dressed Emma for a taiko performance both days; she had a new pale pink obi with a butterflies to wear with her tea-green yukata. I loaned her a candy pink obijime and a juban (underwear) with pink striped sleeves that showed through the yukata when she was back-lit in the sun. She looked really lovely for her performance of Hana-hachijo. Her husband (a taiko player extraordinaire with Fushicho Daiko) also played Hana-hachijo. Emma and I found a fabulous gold cotton hakata obi and nice yukata for him on Saturday morning at one of the vendors. He wore the obi later with happi for performance.

Muri's new obi!

The colors in my Sunday outfit reflected the blue sky and bright sun of Matsuri. It was technically still winter during Matsuri, but the weather can be pretty variable in Phoenix in February. When you have weather like this for Matsuri, it's spring, darn it!I don't have much to choose from for spring flower motifs in my kimono collection, so I bent the rules a bit, combining a golden bamboo obi (winter motif) with cattleya orchid komon kimono (spring) with a leafy haori of unknown plant motif! I wore zori with metallic gold and red to coordinate with the obi and haori. My little basket kinchaku handbag is black, blue and navy. The cute little bunny was given to me by the Sensei of Watsonville Taiko.

Bunny!

More photos! I saw my Phoenix friends in dashing kimono dress on Saturday and a cute photo of the yukata on the children of the Gassho Bu, Children’s Choir, Arizona Gakuen School. They performed on Sunday afternoon.

I did manage to make some purchases...I still need to get some photos taken...everything is still folded in the suitcase. I did get home pretty late last night....I found a wonderful hitoe (unlined) kimono featuring a graphic pine needle motif, and a nice Nagoya obi to go with it as well as a crazy orange haori! So look for photos soon.Ciao,~Rebecca